Oakland manager Melvin excited about Japan series

Seattle Mariners Manager Eric Wedge, center, speaks, with Oakland Athletics Manager Bob Melvin, left, and Mariners special consultant Ken Griffey Jr., sitting beside him, at a press conference in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. The Mariners and Athletics will open next season in Japan with a two-game series at the Tokyo Dome on March 28 and 29.

TOKYO — Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin is looking forward to opening Major League Baseball's 2012 season in Japan even if his team doesn't re-sign free agent Hideki Matsui.

The Athletics and Seattle Mariners open the regular season with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28-29. Many hoped the series would feature a showdown between Matsui and countryman Ichiro Suzuki, but Melvin said the A's likely wont be re-signing the 37-year-old Matsui.

Melvin said "Matsui was a great fit for us last year and we all loved having him on our team, but this year it doesn't look like a fit for us based on the personnel we have going forward."